


The Gunslinger's Hunt

by Pekinaso



Series: Usurper [2]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Fights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:15:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29647032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pekinaso/pseuds/Pekinaso
Summary: Nova educates Leonidas on what he has missed in his absence. After fighting back the curse on the Dreaming City with Sol's help, the Gunslinger is able to locate his target and resume his hunt.
Series: Usurper [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2178339





	1. Painful Discoveries

Nova had gifted Leonidas one of her own ships from her Vault. He appreciated the Rasputin-esque aesthetic of the triangular ship, much more than the blocky one he had prior. Both Nova and Sol escorted him to the Tower, which appeared empty and quiet. Few Guardians ran about, sprinting between the Courtyard and the Bazaar, and likely the Annex as well. Yet, hardly anyone visited the Hangar.

Leonidas spotted Zavala staring wistfully at the Last City, but he felt something was off about him. He tilted his head to the side in confusion before deciding to approach the Vanguard Commander.

“Is everything alright, Commander?” he asked. Zavala turned to look at him, and Leonidas could see a distant sadness in his glowing eyes.

“All is well, Guardian,” the Titan responded. “Why ask?”

“You seem… lost.”

Zavala’s eyes looked down and away, and he sighed as he turned back to overlook the City.

“Many things have been happening in this system, Guardian.” A tone of sadness rang in his words. “We—the Vanguard, the Guardians—can only do so much.”

“I understand, Commander. I’ll leave you be.”

Zavala hummed sadly in thought as Leonidas began to make his way to the Hangar. Nova watched him run past her, and began to follow him. She knew he intended to speak to his mentor, none other than Cayde-6. He didn’t know what had happened.

Leonidas stared at Colonel in confusion, as the chicken pecked the empty space where Cayde should have been standing. The longer he stared, the more he realized Cayde had been gone a long time.

“He’s not here,” Nova said as she walked up to Leonidas, who whipped around to look at her. She stared at the empty space, her helmet hiding her solemn expression. “And he’s not coming back.”

“What do you mean? Did he get himself stuck in another Vex teleportation loop?”

“I wish.” Nova sighed sadly. She was silent for a while. “He died his final death, Leonidas.”

He looked at her in disbelief, which could be clearly determined behind his helmet. He was stunned.

“What? How? When?”

“The Scorned Barons… Uldren Sov…” Nova’s voice dripped with dangerous venom. She clenched her fists. “They’re all dead now though. Except one. He keeps coming back, but I relish killing him every time.”

Leonidas narrowed his eyes slightly at Nova’s attitude, but he felt overwhelming sadness at learning the death of his mentor. He turned to Colonel and knelt in front of her before reaching out to pet her. The chicken approached his hand, tilting her head from side to side in jerky movements, before cuddling up to the hand.

“Tell me what happened,” Leonidas said to Nova as he gently scratched the chicken’s feathers.

“There was a prison break at the Prison of Elders. I was there with Cayde and Petra to quell the rioting. His Ghost was destroyed by the Baron known as Pirrha, ‘The Rifleman’. Uldren Sov put a bullet in Cayde’s chest. He died right in front of me. In my arms.”

Leonidas continued to scratch Colonel, who pecked at his arm gently from time to time.

“And the Barons and the Prince are dead, right?” His voice had deepened in anger. He always knew the Awoken Prince was untrustworthy.

“Yes, they are all dead, except one: the leader of the Barons, Fikrul, also known as ‘The Fanatic’. He doesn’t like to stay dead. But I made sure to take everything from him, and continue to do so.”

Leonidas pet Colonel’s head before standing up, and the chicken wandered into a back corner to roost.

“Thank you for avenging him.”

“Out of curiosity, why didn’t you? How didn’t you hear the news?”

“I was stuck for a while. Since Xol tried to attack Rasputin, actually.”

“Stuck?” Nova tilted her head as Leonidas stared at her.

“I’ve... been on the Dreadnaught for a bit. I was trapped there, in a loop of cursed Hive magic, but I finally made it out.”

“Ah, Azazel trapped you there I’m guessing.”

“You’d be correct.”

“Why exactly do you hunt him?”

There was silence for a while. Leonidas never answered. Nova sighed and beckoned him to follow her as she started to walk away.

“Come with me. There’s someone here I think you should meet.”


	2. New Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nova introduces Leonidas to the Drifter, hoping that they get along.

The Annex was surprisingly dark. Leonidas passed by a room with a curious symbol on the ground, and several Guardians ran in and out of it, usually sporting black and red armor or weapons.

“Never mind that area for now,” Nova chimed in as she observed him. “You’ll be able to go there later.”

Leonidas continued to follow Nova, but he found it difficult to take his eyes off the symbol. He didn’t recognize it. However, his focus soon switched to another room, his destination, thanks to the strange structure in the back of it.

Nova walked into the room as Leonidas regarded the structure with contempt. It swirled with Taken energy. He felt… cold. He would’ve activated his Golden Gun to quell that cold if he hadn’t noticed Nova was speaking to someone. He was dressed like a Warlock, but not quite, with faded leathery robes and furry shoulder pads. Leonidas cautiously approached this Lightbearer, and he noticed the Lightbearer shift his eyes to regard him.

“Oh, so this is the Hunter you were telling me about!” he exclaimed as he smiled. Leonidas shuddered. Something was off-putting about that smile, about the Lightbearer in general. Nova motioned to him.

“This is the Drifter.”

“The Drifter, huh?” Leonidas didn’t take his eyes off of him. He walked slightly closer. “That your real name?”

“Nah, I just like this name. I go by it now.” Drifter looked Leonidas up and down, scratching his beard. “Say, you look familiar. Have we met before?”

“I’ve never seen you my entire life.”

“Well, guess you’re right. But then how’d you get to the Derelict?”

Leonidas paused.

“Is that your ship?”

“Yes it is. How’d you find it?”

“I was looking for someone. He happened to be on your ship.”

“Ohhh, so you’re hunting someone.” Drifter narrowed his eyes slightly. “Now I know why you look familiar.”

Leonidas felt threatened. He began to stretch out his fingers on his right hand. Nova put a hand on his shoulder, breaking his concentration.

“I’ll be right outside,” she told him before walking out. Against his own judgment, he relaxed.

“Explain, Drifter.” He noticed Drifter glance at his right hand, an expression of suspicion and worry on his face. He quickly smiled at Leonidas. By the Traveler did that smile make him uncomfortable.

“You got that ‘Shin Malphur’ feel, kid. The Man with the Golden Gun.”

“You’ve met him?”

“Oh yeah, once, way back. Kinda scary.”

“Scary?”

“Feels threatening. That’s ‘cause he is. You can't ever outdraw—”

“I know the story, Drifter. I’ve heard it plenty of times.” Leonidas waved his hand as he cut him off. Drifter scoffed.

“I’m sure you have, kid. You’re a Gunslinger after all.” He produced a green coin seemingly out of thin air and held it between his thumb and index finger. He flicked it up and caught it in his palm. “Well, I hope you catch your prey soon, Hunter. Feel free to stop by sometime and play some Gambit.”

Leonidas hadn’t expected for their conversation to end so abruptly, but he knew Drifter was done talking as he leaned back against the railing, flipping his coin in midair as he looked at the container of swirling Taken energy. He seemed lost in thought, and the smirk on his face seemed to falter. Leonidas waited to make sure their conversation was indeed over, and Drifter indeed said no more. He turned and walked out of the room, where he saw Nova resting against the wall.

“Were you listening the whole time?” Leonidas asked.

“I had to make sure you weren’t about to light him up with Solar energy.” She grabbed Leonidas’ wrist suddenly and pulled it towards her. He jerked back in surprise, but Nova pressed a gold and black hand cannon into his hand. He could make out letters etched into the gun, mainly reading “TEX”.

“Is this…?”

“Keep it down,” Nova muttered as she pulled her hand away, leaving The Last Word in Leonidas’ hand. “It took me a lot of deaths and resurrections to get that for you.”

“For… me? Why?”

“Remember, I saw a vision of you long ago. A Gunslinger hunting a rogue Guardian lost to the Darkness. And before you ask, yes, it was definitely you in my vision.”

Leonidas regarded the hand cannon with awe before resting it on his hip.

“Thank you.”

“I also gifted you a few more things from my Vault.”

“Another ship?”

“Actually, yes. And another hand cannon.”

Leonidas tilted his head, raising an eyebrow under his helmet. Nova looked away.

“I will admit, it took me a long time to decide if I really wanted to give them to you.” She paused before sighing. “But I figured you deserved them more than me.”

Leonidas summoned his Ghost in his hand; it had a spherical shape to it.

“Tigris, show me my gifts.” Tigris, his Ghost, eagerly obliged. Leonidas could only widen his eyes as he laid them on the Queen of Hearts and the Ace of Spades.


	3. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leonidas arrives at the Dreaming City for the first time, and feels a sense of duty to free the Awoken homeland from the cursed disease.

Leonidas sat in the Queen of Hearts as he followed Nova’s own insectoid ship through the colorful wormhole. The Dreaming City. Nova worried that he wouldn’t be able to enter the world, as she had asked him about possessing some sort of Awoken “talisman” and he revealed that he didn't have one. But he wasn’t worried about access. He was worried to see the condition of the world, as Nova had told him of the three-week long looping curse. Suddenly, he and Nova exited the wormhole, and he stood up as he gazed upon the world in awe. He scanned the clouds, the amethyst-decorated rocks and structures, the mists and waters, the mystic greenery… but his heart sank as the ship began to descend, and as the clouds parted he saw the blights poisoning the land.

As he touched the ground, he felt the uneven, cracked rocks beneath his boots. He looked up at the blight-ridden sky as he let himself listen to the whisper of the passing breeze, the ringing of a not too distant alarm, the howls of Taken and screeches of Scorn, the explosion of enemy weapons. He heard Nova muttering something about “Rheasilvia” as she examined the blights—

“So it looks like the curse is at its strongest this week,” she said aloud. “Since there’s a lot of blights, and Petra isn’t here in the Mists.” She looked over at Leonidas, who seemed fixated on the both beautiful and diseased scenery. “Hey, are you alright?”

Leonidas didn’t look at her, but he nodded slowly. Tigris manifested herself next to him and regarded her Guardian.

“You’re trying to remember your past, aren’t you?”

Leonidas hummed before answering.

“This is familiar to me. This place, I mean.” He looked at Tigris. “You found me on Earth, but I believe I’m from here. I can feel a connection.”

“I’ve heard many Awoken Guardians say that when they come here for the first time,” Nova chimed in. “I didn’t know you were an Awoken.”

“It’s best if you don’t remember your past, Leonidas,” Tigris told him in a concerned manner.

“I’m not trying to remember my whole past. But I know I’m from here.”

“Then what’s wrong? I can tell you’re distressed.”

Leonidas slowly reached up and pulled his hood back. Nova reached out a hand to stop him.

“Leonidas, wait, this isn’t a safe place like the Tower—”

But he had already removed his helmet. Nova held her breath. His skin was a pale blue, and his slicked hair a darker lavender. His eyes glowed a teal color, sparkling with what appeared to be sadness. A white tiger-like “mask” marking adorned his eyes and nose. Nova could only stare. Though his skin and hair were not a rich blue, and his eyes resembled turquoise more than sapphires, and his tiger mask was nothing like thin red lines and small red dots, he almost looked like… like Sol. Their faces were wildly similar…

Leonidas extended his arm, and Tigris floated to the palm of his hand. He regarded his Ghost, and then Nova.

“This is my home, and this curse has brought ruin upon it.” His expression hardened, making his eyes appear to glow brighter. “I must break it. I must save my home, and my people.”


	4. The Well

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nova and Leonidas enter the Blind Well, intent on clearing it of the Taken infestation.

The Hunter stood at the entrance to the great tower that served as the main focal point of the Divalian Mists, dispensing full clips of the Ace of Spades into the horde of Taken and Scorn. A Stalker ran up to him, screeching viciously, waving a club in the air. A shot from Ace caused its head to burst in a contained explosion of fire and dark blue, very corrupted Ether. The creature dropped to its knees and keeled over as Leonidas reloaded. A Taken Knight howled behind him before shooting a splintered stream of fire in his direction. Leonidas dodged to the side and raised Ace, which glowed with a faint aura. A couple shots was all it took to bring down the Knight. He threw a flaming knife at a Taken Goblin, striking its eye and causing it to collapse on itself.

The Hunter looked back over his shoulder just as Nova returned on her Sparrow. She drove it into a Chieftain, jumping off before impact and shooting it. The Sparrow detonated, taking the Chieftain with it. Nova ran over to Leonidas, pumping rounds of Malfeasance into the bodies of the Taken, shredding them to pieces from the ensuing explosions.

"How're you holding up?"

"The Scorn are… interesting."

"Well, they're certainly different from the Fallen. Come on, let's go inside."

Nova dispatched another Taken Knight blocking the path, and the two Guardians made their way into the tower. The Taken roared behind them, but quickly set their sights on the Scorn as the enemy races battled. Nova and Leonidas ascended the steps and made their way up, eventually reaching a great open room. In the middle was a structure Leonidas didn't recognize.

"What is that?"

"That would be the Well." A sizable, concentrated sphere of Light materialized in Nova's hand as she jumped down the ledge and approached the Well. "I hope you're ready, Leonidas."

"Ready for wha—"

Nova offered the ball of Light to the Well, activating it instantly. As the ball appeared to be consumed, the Well lit up with energy, and a haze seemed to blanket everything but the general area of the Well itself. Leonidas looked around as the haze covered him, and he quickly found it difficult to breathe. He felt weak and numb, as if the haze were heavy. Wait, was he… drowning? Seeing the immediate danger, he jumped over to Nova, and felt instant relief as he entered the safe zone provided by the energy of the Well. He looked at the Warlock with bewilderment, which would have been visible if he wasn't wearing his helmet.

"What was that?" he gasped as he began to regain his breath. Nova chuckled.

"A hazard. Always stay in the vicinity of the wells."

At that moment, the sounds of the fabric of reality tearing as Taken spawned rang around the Well. Taken Thrall leaped into the safe zone, twitching violently as they stretched their claws. Nova and Leonidas stood practically back to back, raining bullets on the Thrall as they attempted to swarm the Guardians.

"Why are the Taken here?" Leonidas asked as he threw a grenade, which splintered into smaller ones that began to seek the incoming Thrall.

"They seek the Well, we can't let them have it." Nova charged a grenade in her hand before throwing it up at the ledge just as a Taken Knight spawned. The swirling Void Light consumed it and any other surrounding enemies as she stuck volatile Malfeasance bullets into some Taken Acolytes. Leonidas prepared to throw a knife when suddenly the Taken disappeared. The Well continued to hum with energy.

"What happened?"

"We've completed one charge. One of the smaller ancillary wells should be activating…"

As she spoke, one such well created a bubble of safety in the haze.

"Like that one?" Leonidas said to Nova as he pointed at it with his gun.

"Yes, that's the one." She started running to it, but Leonidas stopped her as he hastily grabbed her shoulder.

"Wait, what about the haze?"

"You'll be fine, trust me. But we need to go to it in order to activate it. Just our presence there is enough."

Leonidas sighed as he removed his hand.

"Alright, I'll stay close then."

"Try holding your breath."

The Guardians dashed across to the ancillary well, and it hummed to life. The Taken quickly returned, with more Thrall attempting to swarm them. Leonidas spotted an Acolyte glowing with a strange energy that mimicked the Well's.

"That Taken is different."

"Kill it. You'll thank me later."

Leonidas, braving the haze, ran out to confront the beast. It roared, but it was quickly silenced as a flaming knife embedded itself into its face. The Taken reeled back, and Leonidas finished it off with Ace. As the creature collapse on itself, it dropped a ball of the energy it had been glowing with. Leonidas knew he had to grab it. As soon as he touched it, he became revitalized. The haze continued to blanket him, but it no longer weighed down on him. He could breathe easily. Solar energy surged to its peak within him. He immediately returned to his senses as he heard Nova’s voice calling out to him.

“Leonidas! Kill this Taken!”

He began to run back, and as he did he spotted the Taken in question. It was a Knight that was protected with a white impenetrable shield, but it glowed with the same strange energy as the Acolyte had. Did Nova believe he could hurt it?

He let the Solar energy within him burst forth, consuming his form in fire, as his Ace too surged with Solar Light. He aimed at the Knight, releasing one flaming shot that shattered its shield. The Knight howled and staggered as it took splash damage that set it partially ablaze, but did not yet kill it. Leonidas released another shot, this time into the head of the Knight, causing it to perish in flames. With one shot left, he decided to fire it at a not too distant Taken Hobgoblin, which had been charging its own shot. The flames covering him and Ace dissipated, but he felt the Solar energy within him surging once more. He looked down at himself in awe.

“What is this that I feel? What was that Light I touched?” He looked up at where the Knight had stood to see it had dropped three spheres of Light. Nova dashed past him and picked up one before looking over at him.

“This is called Harmony. It enhances your Light, and protects you in this fog.” She looked at an incoming horde of Taken. Another glowing Acolyte had appeared. Nova leaped into the air as her inner Void Light collected in the palm of her right hand. She thrust it out, sending a concentrated bomb of Void energy that floated slowly down to the Taken. It burst on impact, releasing four smaller bombs that floated to other Taken who happened to survive the initial explosion. Nova grimaced as the Skull on her head seemed to whisper and hum, feeding on the deaths caused by the bomb. Void energy swelled to its peak within her immediately. She threw yet another bomb, causing more devastation to the Taken.

The ancillary well found this to be satisfactory, and it glowed as it completed its charge and its protective bubble began to shrink. Leonidas quickly spotted the next waking ancillary well, and made his way to it. Nova followed shortly after, her arm radiating with Void energy. Once again, her power was at its peak.

“Will we have to activate all these wells?” Leonidas asked as the Taken began to spawn for a third time.

“No. This should be the last one,” Nova replied as she readied herself to leap up into the air.

“And then what?”

“We protect the Well from the Heralds.”

“Heralds?”

Nova threw her bomb at a massive group of Thrall. Leonidas noticed a glowing Acolyte running at him, and he willed his Solar energy to burst forth. It only took a single shot to the Taken’s head to disintegrate it, so he used his last two shots on a Hobgoblin and a Knight. He felt the energy surging once more, when suddenly it stopped. The crushing weight of the haze hit him and he began wheezing. Out of desperation, he dove back into the well’s protective bubble.

“I thought the Harmony was supposed to protect me!”

“It doesn’t last forever. I guess I should’ve told you that...”

A glowing Taken Wizard with a shield appeared, shrieking as it raised its claws. Leonidas took a shot at it, but the bullet bounced off harmlessly.

“Wait, I can do this,” Nova told him as she threw a charged grenade. The shield shattered and the Wizard shrieked again as it recoiled and darted away from the swirling Void energy. With its shield broken, the Guardians teamed up against it, destroying it swiftly. They barely spoke as they continued to clear out Taken, picking up orbs of Harmony, and unleashing their Light upon the creatures of Darkness.

It wasn’t long before the well had reached full charge. The Taken left, and so too did the haze. Before any words could be exchanged, three massive shielded Taken Minotaurs, accompanied by other lesser Taken, spawned around the main Well.

“Those are the Heralds?”

“Yes. We’ll split up for the two in the immediate vicinity of the Well. Then we’ll group back up for the last one.”

And so it was done. Using their supercharged Light, they laid waste to the shields of the Minotaurs and whittled them down. The mutated machines tried to crush the Guardians underfoot, but all attempts were in vain as they were both felled. The final Minotaur tried to torch the Warlock and the Hunter as they approached, but it stood no chance; they were far too synchronized, and destroyed the beast with ease. With the death of the final Herald, the Taken left, and the main Well hummed as it surged with intense energy. A ball of Light materialized in Nova’s hand once more, except this one sparked and twitched erratically.

“This is my last unstable charge, so let’s make it count.” She ran over to the Well and offered the Light to it. The hair on the back of Leonidas’ neck stood, and he turned around to see a Taken amalgamation he had never seen before. The tentacled Servitor-like creature growled lowly as its toothed, circular mouth widened and glowed with Void energy. Thinking fast, he dodged behind a pillar just before three Void bolts slammed into the spot he had been standing. Nova ran up to the creature and stood in front of it as she began to empty her Malfeasance into it.

“Nova, what is that?!”

“We need to kill it! It’s the Plague of the Well!”

A plague? Leonidas felt rage. One of the horrible beasts responsible for poisoning his home. He came out of hiding and began relentlessly shooting at it with Ace. The Taken beast growled as Malfeasance ripped through it and Ace hit its most vulnerable points, but eventually it teleported to another part of the room, where it quickly shielded itself. Leonidas didn’t need Nova to tell him what to do this time. He saw the source of the shield, and dashed towards the blight causing it. He clenched his teeth as he emptied the magazine into the blight, but it was enough to destroy it. He watched as Nova ran up to the Taken and threw a bomb at it. As the bomb detonated, Leonidas swirled with Solar Light, and he fired his three shots into the body of the Taken.

The Guardians watched as the beast imploded, growling in defeat. The other minor Taken disappeared for the last time. A chest appeared at the foot of the Well as the energy within it began to die down.

“Did we do it?” Leonidas asked as he and Nova began to walk to the chest.

“Yes. For now, at least.”

They opened the chest. Nova received a Waking Vigil. Leonidas received a Sleepless and a mysterious blue orb of Light.

“Congratulations,” Nova said to him. “Your first Seed of Light.”

“What’s this for?”

“To hone your Light further. Use it wisely.” Nova extended a hand to him, but in her palm was a purple crystal of sorts. She urged him to take it, so he did.

“What’s this?”

“An offering. We’re going to go talk to the Oracle.”


	5. Gifts, & The Monastery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Awoken Queen has left a gift for Leonidas. After accepting, he accompanies Nova and Sol to Harbinger's Seclude to stop the mysterious ritual occurring there.

The cave of blue and purple crystal that opened up to the Spine of Keres was certainly admirable, but nothing was more admirable than the Oracle Engine. The machine's rings and platforms rotated slowly around the main sphere in the middle in an almost graceful way, so much so that Leonidas stopped to stare. That is, until his concentration was broken by a voice.

“Up here!” Nova called out to him as she stood a ways up in the room, standing next to some sort of console. Leonidas looked at her and nodded before starting to make his way up. He climbed up on the platform where Nova stood and looked at the console.

“Let me guess, this is where the offering goes?”

“Yes,” Nova answered. “But since I don’t have one, I can’t go with you.”

The purple crystal materialized in his hand, and he offered it to the console. The console did not seem to respond, but the crystal faded away in a lavender light. Immediately, the Oracle Engine stopped moving. Leonidas was about to start worrying that something had gone wrong, until the rings and platforms began to rearrange themselves in a specific pattern, and the middle sphere rotated itself to present a closed gateway. The gate rotated and parted, revealing a glowing white portal that made Leonidas shield his eyes somewhat. He looked back at Nova.

“Go on, it’s alright. There will be a gift waiting for you.”

The Hunter turned back to the portal and jumped across to the platform in front of him before leaping through the circle of light. When he emerged on the other side, he stood in awe at first. He looked around at the pool, the table, and up towards the empty throne. Mara Sov was nowhere to be found. As he walked up to the throne, and the chest next to it, he realized the throne had been vacant for a while. He opened the chest, and that’s when he heard Mara’s voice in his head.

“Take this, Guardian,” she told him, almost commanded him. “Use it well. Use it wisely. Be strong.”

Leonidas was given a Vouchsafe, and another Seed of Light. He materialized the other Seed in his hand and looked between the two of them. Holding them made his inner Light flare, and he instantly knew that these things would grant him new abilities. He made his decision. As he closed his fists on the Seeds and allowed himself to be consumed by their Light, a storm of lightning and fire welled up inside of him.

When the Hunter stepped out, a Warlock in snow-white armor stood by Nova. Sol had returned. He regarded Leonidas as he leaped across to the platform on which the Warlocks stood.

“You’re back,” Leonidas said to him.

“I am.”

“We were discussing fighting back the curse… again,” Nova chimed in. “Our first stop is Harbinger’s Seclude.”

“We’re stopping that ritual, right?” Sol asked.

“Yes, again.”

“And then we’re going to Eleusinia?”

“To stop Dûl Incaru, yes, again.”

Leonidas looked between them, looking confused.

“I don’t know what you two are talking about, but I’m here to help.”

The Guardians soon arrived in Rheasilvia, and observed the Scorn and Taken battling on a lower bridge.

“They’re at it again,” Nova sighed.

“You keep thinking the curse will change,” Sol told her as he observed the chaos.

“Considering this is essentially like a Vex simulation, yes, I expected the Vex to be smarter.”

“Well, the sooner we get this over with, the better,” Leonidas interjected as he drew Ace.

The Guardians jumped down to the bridge and began raining havoc on the creatures of Darkness; Leonidas shut them down quickly with Ace, Nova riddled them all with bullets of Malfeasance, and Sol mowed them down with his Duty Bound. They effortlessly cleared the bridge and made their way inside, where they proceeded to split up to destroy three Taken guards while also dispatching more Scorn.

When the regalia-adorned Taken Centurion servant of Incaru appeared to defend the ritual, the Guardians felled it with ease, especially Sol, who let out a crackle of lightning and fired a concentrated Arc beam from his hand that absolutely decimated the Taken and its subordinates. The Guardians hardly spoke, even when they jumped through the portal and destroyed two Taken Wizards channeling energy into a crystal, and then destroyed that crystal. They were still silent even as they escaped the collapsing Ascendant Realm, avoiding bombs and cracks in the path to pass once more through the portal. Once on the other side, Leonidas broke the silence.

“Was that all?”

“Yes, we disrupted the ritual,” Nova answered. “All that’s left is killing the mastermind behind that ritual.”

“Well Nova, lead the way there,” Sol told her. She looked at him.

“I don’t know my way from here.”

“With how much time you’ve spent in this place?”

“I never go to the Confluence from here, Sol.”

“I… think I know where it is,” Leonidas said as he looked at the ground, squinting behind his mask. He tried to make sense of the vision he saw.

“Oh, you’re Awoken?” Sol asked in amazement. “I imagine you’re seeing a vision to guide you.”

“You Awoken are interesting alright,” Nova muttered, a hint of jealousy in her voice. Leonidas started walking forward, but eventually started running as the vision showed him what path to follow. The Warlocks followed him without question, and after passing through the portal Leonidas had seen, they found themselves in the Confluence. At this point, Nova gained her bearings and put a hand on Leonidas’ shoulder.

“I can take it from here. I know where I am.” The Warlock began to lead the others until they stood before a giant, dark gateway. The Techeun Sedia stood before it, regarding the Guardians.

“Are you prepared to step into the Queen’s throne world once more?” She looked at Leonidas. “And are you ready to experience it?”

“I am,” Leonidas replied as he stepped forward, towards the portal. “I must help stop this curse.”

The Warlocks stepped up from behind him and stood next to him, one on each side. They all extended an arm towards the portal.

“Are you all ready?” Nova asked. Leonidas hummed in response and Sol simply nodded. The Guardians stepped forward once more, and passed through to Erebus.


	6. The Shattered Throne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fireteam venture into the Shattered Throne to slay Dul Incaru in hopes of saving the Dreaming City. However, a telling vision opens the Gunslinger's eyes.

“What is this place?” Leonidas asked as he followed the Warlocks across the floating platforms as a Taken Knight a short distance away roared and spat fire.

“This is Erebus, Eleusinia is a ways up,” Nova replied. “It’s Mara’s throne world. I heard it used to be prettier, then Oryx came along and made it dark and twisted.”

“Is that why the Taken are here?”

“Maybe. But they serve Savathûn now.”

After killing the Knight and his small group of Taken Acolytes, a symbol of a fish materialized above where it stood.

“That’s to our immediate right,” Sol commented. Nova nodded and looked at Leonidas.

“We’re cleansing symbols, aren’t we?”

Nova nodded and smiled.

“I see you’re picking up well on context clues.”

The Guardians stormed through Erebus, killing the Labyrinth Architects that suppressed the symbols. After killing one final Taken Captain, the way down revealed itself as a circular platform opened up. They continued to traverse the dark throne world, killing more Taken as they went. Even when they reached the room with a heavy mist and a multitude of charging Shadow Thrall, they still made their way across safely by using the platforms in their path to escape the dark creatures’ sharpened claws. They killed a small army of Taken Phalanx, and eventually came to a large circular room with four font-looking structures in a square formation.

“The Keepers of Petitions,” Sol muttered as he reloaded his Duty Bound. Nova drew forth her Subtle Calamity.

“The what now?” Leonidas asked curiously.

“There will be an Ogre: Vorgeth, the Boundless Hunger, will block our path forward,” Nova began to explain. “But killing the Keepers themselves—four Wizards—will allow us to bring down his shield and kill him.”

Leonidas examined the bent and twisted knives and blades that decorated his arms. So far, they had helped channel the Solar energy within him through the use of his own flaming knives. He hoped they would help him once more now.

As the Guardians leaped down into the pit, Vorgeth himself tore through reality and spawned in the middle of the fonts. The giant shielded Ogre roared as the Keepers spawned, screeching and wailing to announce their arrival. Sol mowed down the lesser Taken with Duty Bound, while Nova used her Subtle Calamity to destroy the shields of the Keepers. Leonidas provided clean-up, and used Ace to destroy the Keepers one by one. Once all of them were dead and their floating purple orbs that they left behind were collected, Nova made her way to one font and deposited the collective "Petitioner’s Burden" into it. Vorgeth’s shield shattered, and he quickly retaliated with launching a set of axion bolts from his spiny back.

Sol ran up next to her, the Solar energy within him at its peak, and he summoned forth a great flaming sword that he then plunged into the ground. From the sword radiated a well of Light that healed and empowered all who stood in it. Leonidas saw his chance as Sol proceeded to destroy the axion bolts. He ran into the Well and leaped up into the air, still feeling the radiant Light empowering him. He released his Solar power, coating his body in flame as flaming knives manifested between his fingers. He gracefully spun around in midair as he threw the knives at Vorgeth, which pierced the Ogre’s hide and detonated. The Taken reeled back and roared again before launching more axion bolts. Leonidas felt the armor on his arms hum with power. He smiled under his helmet as they successfully drew enough power from the damage the knives dealt to Vorgeth, and his Solar energy swelled up once more. He released his flaming knives once more into the Ogre, which collapsed on one knee. Nova saw her own chance and released her own concentrated Void bomb, which detonated upon the eye of the Ogre and killed it immediately.

Nova watched Vorgeth collapse in on himself as her Skull siphoned energy from his death. It wasn’t quite enough to fully restore her inner Void energy, but it helped greatly. Leonidas had once again reached full Solar power thanks to the knives on his arms. He looked at Nova.

“Well, now what?”

“We go up,” Nova replied, pointing to the newly opened door.

“We kill Dûl Incaru,” Sol added. “And then we’re done here. For now.”

“Leonidas, do you have a Celestial Nighthawk?” Nova asked the Hunter.

“I might.” He manifested Tigris in his hand.

“It would appear that you do. But you can't wear it with your Shards of Galanor.”

Leonidas looked down at his bladed armor. He really liked them, but it didn’t seem like he had a choice.

“Alright Tigris, change them.”

The armor on his arms was replaced with a smoother armor with spiny shoulders, courtesy of the Tangled Shore's prizes. He then proceeded to don the bird-like helmet, its piercing gaze unnerving to Sol and amusing to Nova.

“Now we're prepared to proceed up to Eleusinia,” Nova stated, smirking under her bony helmet.

The Guardians passed the statue of Sjur Eido, who beckoned them caution and luck, and began to ascend up the throne world using ethereal elevators. After fighting through more lesser Taken, they arrived at the top. Dûl Incaru floated in the back, swaying as she performed her ritual. Three massive Darkblades—her Fatesmiths—watched her. Leonidas knew they were her guards.

“We kill them first, right?” he asked for clarification. Nova nodded, but Sol answered.

“Yes, and like the Keepers they will leave us orbs of energy that will allow us to hurt her. It’s up to you to kill her then.”

Leonidas looked at him with bewilderment.

“Me?”

“I wanted you to wear Nighthawk for a reason,” Nova said to him. “It will surprise you.”

Nova and Sol drew the attention of the Fatesmiths and began to clear out the Taken Psions that appeared alongside them. Dûl Incaru herself turned to face the Guardians and began to launch Darkness Bolts from her claws. Leonidas dodged the Arc bolts and threw a flaming knife at a Psion, killing it and returning his knife. He repeated his knife-throwing several more times, clearing out the Psions on one side, before he had to flee from the axe of a Fatesmith. It growled as it slammed the axe into the ground, the force of the impact throwing Leonidas into a wall. He groaned in pain and got back up slowly as the Fatesmith walked slowly towards him, dragging its weapon behind it. As it began to lift it to crush Leonidas, Nova’s Void bomb slammed into it and destroyed it instantly. At its feet was a blue orb.

“You alright?” Nova asked Leonidas. He nodded as Tigris healed his injuries.

“I’m fine now. Thank you.” He reached for the orb and touched it, consuming it. Immediately his vision changed slightly, and he saw the giant Wizard in a different light. She looked different. Weaker. But not weak enough.

“One down, two to go.” Nova immediately spun around and fired yet another Void bomb at the other two Fatesmiths, which had been significantly weakened by Sol’s flaming sword. The Warlock’s fiery wings appeared to flap as he immediately backed away while throwing one final flaming bolt from his sword. The Void bomb detonated against the two massive Knights, and they dissipated in Void energy as they left two more blue orbs, which Leonidas slid over to and collected. His vision sharpened further. He looked at Dûl Incaru. She looked afraid.

Flames surrounded Leonidas as a flaming hand cannon manifested in his hand, and he aimed it directly at the Wizard’s head. She could only screech helplessly before he fired his single shot, and she was erased in a burst of fire. Her outstretched claws burned away into ash as her death screech rang in the room.

Leonidas stood up as the flames wrapping around him extinguished themselves and the Ace of Spades returned to his hand. He looked back at the Warlocks, about to make a small quip in reference to the Wizard’s quick death, when he suddenly collapsed onto his knees and clutched his head, dropping the Ace as he did.

“Leonidas!” Nova called out as she ran over to the Hunter. He could vaguely hear her voice through the loud ringing in his ears. He heard Sol’s voice too. But then he was gifted a vision: it was the snow-covered Cosmodrome, but riddled with blights big and small. A dark miasma swirled atop the wall. Something sinister whispered loudly—

“Leonidas!”

The two voices in tandem snapped the Hunter’s mind back into reality. He blinked repeatedly as he removed his hands from his head. He looked at the Warlocks.

“He’s at the Cosmodrome.”

“Who is?” Sol asked.

“Azazel. He’s there. I had a vision.”

“Then we need to go there,” Nova told him as she removed her hands from his shoulders and helped him stand. Leonidas grabbed the Ace as he stood, somewhat shaky at the knees.

“Nova, you know that the Cosmodrome is quarantined.”

“I’m aware, Sol. But if Azazel is there, then now’s our chance!”

“No. We have to respect Zavala’s orders.”

Nova intended to respond, but she bit her tongue instead.

“Fine. We’ll return to the Tower.”


	7. New Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At Nova's behest, the fireteam proceeds to the Cosmodrome to face off against Azazel and stop his attempted reign of terror.

After the Guardians had left Eleusinia, the trip back to the Tower was uncomfortably quiet. That is, until Nova suddenly changed course and made her way to the European Dead Zone. Sol and Leonidas both tried to contact her, but she ignored her comms, so the two were forced to follow her. When they landed, Nova ran off without explanation.

“Nova! Where are you going?” Sol yelled after her. But she did not respond.

“Does she usually do this?” Leonidas asked as he started to follow her. He felt Sol’s hand on his shoulder stop him.

“She’s trying to lead us somewhere. I just haven’t figured out where.”

“Then we should follow her, no?” The Hunter shrugged Sol’s hand off and summoned his Sparrow. The sound alerted Nova, who looked back and summoned her own. The two Guardians sped off from the Trostland down to the Outskirts, with Nova leading the way. Sol hesitated, thinking to report them both to the Vanguard, but he chose to follow them instead to see where they would go.

The Warlock and the Hunter entered the Whispered Falls at the far end of the Outskirts, and began to clear through the Fallen that attacked them. Nova guided Leonidas to a transporter of sorts as she fired a Warmind-esque shotgun at a Fallen Captain.

“Leonidas, you see that transporter right there? Go through it.”

“It works?”

“Yes. It will take you directly to the Cosmodrome. Go, I won’t be too far behind.”

Leonidas’ boots crunched through the hard-packed snow. He walked around the junked and rusted cars before looking back at the transporter. He didn’t expect it to work as well as it did. At that moment, Nova appeared on the transporter’s pad, and she holstered her shotgun in favor of the smoking Malfeasance.

“See? I told you it works.”

The two observed the blights that hung in the area, and there was a dark miasma on top of the wall as Leonidas’ earlier vision had shown. The Hunter pointed at it.

“He must be there. I’m sure of it.”

The transporter suddenly hummed again, prompting the two to whip their heads back to look. Sol stalked over to Nova angrily, pointing at her.

“I told you this place is quarantined!”

“So what? Are you really going to listen to Zavala’s new rule over trying to stop Azazel?”

A screech of a Wizard and a few low growls of the Hive interrupted the Warlocks’ argument. A group of Acolytes crawled out from behind the cars, and a wave of Thrall screeched and began to charge at the three Guardians. A handful of Knights stood behind the Acolytes, and a pair of Wizards also made their presence known.

“It’s an army…” Tigris said quietly. Leonidas aimed his Ace of Spades.

“We can take them.”

“No, _WE_ can take them,” Sol interjected as he started to walk forward.

“Leave the Hive to us, Leonidas, you go for Azazel. We’ll clear a path.”

A pair of flaming wings emerged from Sol’s back and a flaming sword materialized in his hand. As he rose into the air, flames trailed his robes as if he were a phoenix. He began to swing his sword down at the Hive, firing bolts of Solar energy that disintegrated the horrific creatures in smoke and ash. Conversely, Nova radiated with Void energy, and she began to launch near constant Void bombs thanks to the energy her Skull was siphoning from the Hive souls being consumed by the blast. The Knights in the back began to fire their Splinter and Boomer cannons, trying to rain Solar and Arc energy on the Warlocks to stop them. Their efforts proved to be in vain, as they too were disintegrated in flame and abyssal energy.

Leonidas weaved through the chaos and the rampant Light energy that littered the battlefield as he made his way up to the wall. The Wizards stretched their claws out towards him in an attempt to attack him, but they were swiftly cut down by the Warlocks. The Hunter continued to run forward, trying to get as close to the wall as possible, and he looked up at the miasma. He saw him.

Azazel.

The Hunter looked down at him, most likely smirking underneath his Taken-looking helmet, and was holding a handful of Motes. He raised his free hand up, and suddenly two massive Darkblades crawled out of green sigils that had formed on the snow. Leonidas was forced to dodge backwards, performing a graceful backflip that was just enough to get him away from the two axes that slammed down where he had been standing just moments before. The giant Knights growled as they lifted their axes and faced Leonidas.

Fortunately, a Void bomb thrown at them was enough to critically injure them both. The Darkblades stumbled as their helmets came off, but Sol was able to use the last of his Daybreak to finish them both off. He floated down to the ground as his wings and flames dispersed.

“What are you waiting for, Leonidas? Go!” Nova shouted. She stumbled slightly, exhausted from having used so much of her Void Light.

“I wouldn’t,” Azazel called down from above. Suddenly, several Hive Tombships appeared to leave behind a whole host of Hive that surrounded the three Guardians. They stepped back until they stood quite literally back to back, looking in all directions.

“Now what?” Sol asked.

“Now I Take them,” Azazel responded nonchalantly as he raised the Motes up into the air. The miasma began to swirl more aggressively, but then it took on the fearful form of a Likeness of Oryx. Oryx’s claws began to glow brightly as he raised his hands up, and the Hive began to seemingly collapse in on themselves or be consumed by small blights. They were being Taken.

Sure enough, the Hive all returned as their Taken counterparts, twitching violently and making echoing noises reminiscent of their old sounds. The Thrall slashed at the air, their heads twitching. Taken Ogres stood on the outer edge of the ring that enclosed the Guardians, with massive spines protruding from their backs. Azazel chuckled lowly as Oryx loomed behind him, spreading his great wings. The Guardians took deep breaths as they aimed their respective guns at the twisted creatures. This would likely be their last battle.

As the creatures began to charge and fingers were beginning to squeeze triggers, a single lightning strike slammed into a portion of the army, disintegrating all Taken in the vicinity. As the rest of the Taken stopped to look at the result of the lightning, Arc energy began to spark violently through the waves of enemies. Something was moving through them and killing them as it did. Suddenly, an Arcstrider, wrapped in a thick cloak of electricity, leaped up into the air and raised his Arc Staff high, which he then proceeded to slam down on the ground and the Taken that were unfortunate enough to be in the way.

In the moment of distraction, Leonidas quickly slipped away and began to climb up onto the broken and rusted beams and cracked rocks that lined the wall in order to make his way up. He took a glance at Azazel, who seemed surprised at the newcomer, but it wasn’t long before he noticed the Gunslinger making a break for him. He clutched his drained Motes tightly and stepped back as Oryx turned his attention to Leonidas, roaring at him before stretching his claws out towards him.

Down below, the Arcstrider’s Arc energy did not exhaust, and the swings of his Arc Staff did not waver. Though it piqued Nova’s interest, she continued to rain bullets of her Malfeasance into the Taken, ripping their bodies apart with the bullets and explosions. Sol mowed down the rest with his trusty Duty Bound. The Ogres were swiftly taken care of by the Hunter, as they stood no chance against his crackling, earth-shattering Light. With every swing came a massive crackle of Arc energy that spread through the horde of Taken and left behind melted snow and cracked earth. With every ground slam, he split the earth. With his help, the Warlocks made short work of the Taken, though they were left with little to no ammo in their weapons. Nova studied the Arcstrider, who continued to spark with electricity. He held his staff firmly and looked up at the other two Hunters and Oryx.

Leonidas did not expect himself to be as swift as he was, but then he figured he wouldn’t be a real Hunter if he wasn’t. He maneuvered gracefully around Oryx’s axion bolts as he scaled the wall using knives and his own jumping skills. On the way up, he had asked Tigris to have him don the Shards of Galanor once again, as he figured he would need it for the shadow of the Taken King. He hoisted himself up on top of the wall, where Oryx roared at him and once again attempted to fire his axion bolts. The Gunslinger jumped up to evade the attack before throwing a set of flaming knives at the Likeness’ face, setting him slightly on fire. The Taken King reeled back, flapping his mighty wings aggressively, when Leonidas’ body burst into flame and he conjured more powerful flaming knives between his fingers. He gracefully spun around and flung them at Oryx, which pierced his body and exploded. Oryx howled with pain and rage as he seemed to collapse atop the wall. Feeling his Solar Light soaring thanks to the Shards, he was able to rain another barrage of flaming blades on the Taken King, which was just enough to set the beast ablaze and destroy him in fire.

One knife overshot its target and landed at Azazel’s feet, which promptly exploded. The Dark Hunter was sent flying backwards, dropping his Motes as he hit the edge of the top of the wall and began to fall. He was able to sink a knife into the side of the wall, despite his serious burns and injuries that he had just sustained. He looked down at the two Warlocks and the still sparking Arcstrider, but as he heard Leonidas’ approaching footsteps he quickly turned his head to look up at him. His eyes looked down the barrel of the Ace of Spades as Leonidas aimed it directly at his head.

“It’s over, Azazel.”

Azazel started to chuckle.

“Did you really think it would be so easy?”

The Arcstrider below tightened his grip on his staff, releasing a small pulse of Arc energy as he watched some restorative Light begin to swirl around Azazel, healing his injuries. Leonidas hesitated in surprise, his finger pausing on the trigger. With a sinister smile under his helmet, Azazel disappeared in a burst of black particles and eerie green light. Leonidas cursed under his breath. Azazel had escaped him yet again. He nearly leaped off the top of the wall when the crackling Arc Staff stabbed into the wall right where Azazel had been dangling, bursting through the last remaining bits of particles and light. He looked down at the Arcstrider, who was slowly lowering his arm. He came to the realization that the new Hunter was after Azazel as well.

After carefully making his way down using his knife and the Arc Staff, Leonidas approached the still crackling Arcstrider and offered him his weapon back. He took it with a simple nod.

"May I ask who you are?" Leonidas said to him. The Arcstrider looked down and began to examine himself as the Arc energy around him diminished but did not disappear.

"You saved us," Nova said as she stepped forward. "But, I must admit, there's something… unique about you."

"Certainly you must have a name, Hunter?" Sol quipped, as he realized the Arcstrider still had yet to answer Leonidas. The Hunter's staff disappeared in a burst of electricity and sparks. He examined his hands, watching lightning coil around his fingers and wrapping around his arms. He opened his mouth to speak, and the voice was shockingly familiar. It was undeniable.

Azazel's voice.

"My name… is Lightning."

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, readers!  
> After the end of _Duels & Demons_, the main story begins. As usual, please enjoy and feel free to correct spelling/grammar + drop constructive criticism!


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